Goveenoe for gas engines



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

L. H. NASH. GOVERNOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

Patented Jan. 12, 1886.

(No Model.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. H. NASH. GOVEENOE EGR GAS ENGINES. No. 334,038. Patented Jan. 12,1886.

MGD 7x ilNrTnD STATES PATnnT Orrrcn.

LEWIS HALLOCK NASH, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL METER COMPANY,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOVERNOR FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,038, dated January12, ISEG.

Serial No. 174,892. (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs HALLocK NASH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of f New York, have invented new and usefulIniprovements in Governors for Gas-Engines, of which the following is aspeeication.

So far as I know and can nd, there are no gas-engines in use in whichthe governor controis the speed of the engine with a satisfactory degreeof promptness, and therefore the speed ot a gas-engine is much moreirregular than that of a steam-engine, for the reason that specialadaptation of a governor for a gas-engine has not hitherto been effectedto accomplish the desired results of regulating` every impulse of agas-engine, sothat the force of every explosion of the gas shall beequal when the engine is developing steady power and instantly increasedor diminished as the work of the engine varies.

My improved governor device is applied to the balance-wheel, and is ofsuch a construction as to specially adapt the wheel to operate a valvefor admitting to the powcrcylinder a definite quantity of combustiblemixture at each stroke of the engine in charges exactly suited to thework, and for this purpose I have devised a governor device with specialreference to its sensitiveness of action in relation to the speed of thebalance-wheel.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a double-actinggas-engine coinposed of two single-acting power-cylinders, and a valvefor each, controlled by my improved balance wheel governor, and suchillustration is only given as one instance of the application of mygovernor device.

In the drawings, Figure l represents in elevation a gasengine ofseparate and distinct coacting single acting power-cylinders W, placedin line, showing their valve-governoroperating connections. Fig. 2represents in elevationl the balance-wheel with the governor appliances,and Fig. 3 a section of the wheelrim.

The inner side of the balance-Wheel rim is cast with lugs a, to whichare pivoted by pins b arms I, having freedom to swing at theirnonpivoted ends toward and from the rim, so as to form swinging weights.These pivoted weights are curved to conform to the rim, and areconnected at their free ends to springs Il, preferably of spiral forni,which are connected to the spokes of the wheel by an adjusting device,I7, setby thelock-nnts I8, to regulate the tension of the springs tobalance the centrifu gal force of the pivoted weights in the revolutionof the wheel. The free ends of the pivoted weights are also connected bylinks I3 6g with a cam, I, upon the shaft I, such connection being madeby pins on opposite sides of the shaft. This cani I* is free to turn onthe shaft, andis of such a form, in connection with the valve connectingmechanism, as to properly operate the valves. This valve-connect ingmechanism consists of a rocking arm, I5, hung upon one end of arock-shaft, I", mounted in the engine-frame, (shown in Fig. 2,) to theother end of which rock-shaftis fixed a lever- 7o arm,f*, which connectswith the valve-connecting rodf. The free ends of the rocking arm I5 areprovided with a roller, o2, which rolls upon the surface of the cam I4,so that the turning of the latter' operates the rocking 75 arms, andthrough the latter the valve-operating connections. The roller ismaintained in contact with the cam by means of a spring, f, which Iprefer to place in the valve-case J, so as to exert its force directlypulling upon 8o the valve B, and thereby gain the advantage of taking upall lost motion of the valve connecting and operating devices. I preferfor compactness to use a torsion-spring, f, and to place it in a chamberat the rear ofthe valve 85 case J, as shown in Fig. l, so that in thisarrangement the roller is kept'pressed in contact with the cam by apulling force exerted through the Valve B; but l may place the spring inany other convenient relation with 9o the valve-connections.

In the example shown the governor device is organized to operate thevalves of separate and distinct single-acting power-cylinders, and theroller-arms are for that purpose placed on opposite sides of the cam I4,and the arrangenient of the valve-connections is such as to operate thevalves alternately.

In the operation of the engine the governor device acts to vary thepoint of the stroke of 10o i the valve at which the admission of thecharge is cnt off and the charge ignited as follows,

viz: The engine being in motion, a high speed will cause the pivotedweights to be thrown outward toward or against the wheel-rim, causingthe springs to expand and the cam, by means of its Weight-connectinglinks, to be turned upon its shaft in the direction of the movingwheel,and thereby change the position of the cam with respect to therollers to so govern the stroke of the valve as to ignite the chargeatan earlier point of the stroke, thereby reducing the quantity of thecharge and,

in proportion, the power developed. On the contrary, the engine beingunder reduced speed, the springs will act to overcome the centrifugalforce of the pivoted weights and draw them in toward the center, suchmovement being limited by the stop-pins c2 on the spokes, therebycausing the cam to turn back upon its shaft, and hence the charge is cutOff and ignited at a later point in the stroke of the valve, causing theengine to develop a greater amount of power.

To obtain a sensitive action ofthe governor device, I use comparativelyheavy weights a-nd extremely-elastic springs, so thata slight variationin the velocity of the balance-wheel will move the weights quickly andto the proper extent. The speed of the engine may be changed byincreasing Or diminishing the tension of the springs by` their adjustingdevices. The governor-Wheel may be adapted tO control the valves Of twoor more powercylinders by similar connecting mechanism for each valve.

The engine-frame A supports separate and distinct trunk-cylinders A A2in the same horizontal line, each cylinder having its combustion-chamberformed by separate cylindrical caps D D2, wit-hin which operates adoubleended plunger suitably connected with and operating thepower-transmitting shaft I 0l' the balance-wheel. The supply-valve caseswheel.

L, which I use in connection with a compression-cylinder, C, (shown bydotted lines,) for supplying a gas engine with a uniform mixture of airand gas, the said compressioncylinder connecting with a reservoir, A3,in the engine-frame, and supplying the enginevalves by the pipes A5.These several things relating to the engine, however, Which I have onlybriefly referred to, are fully and completely described, shown, andclaimed by me in separate and distinct applications for patents tled ofeven date herewith, so that it is only the matter relating to thegovernor device, which I have particularly described, that constitutesthe subject-matter of this application.

I claiml. The balance-wheel governor device herein described, consistingOf the pivoted weights I', the springs I2 and their adjustingconnections, the loose cam It, and the links I, connected thereto and tothe free ends of said weight-arms, in combination with the rocking armI5, the leverf, and the supply-valve, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the slide-valve, the loose cam, and therocker-arm I, connected with said valve, of a spring for maintaining therocker-arm in Contact with said cam, and a governor device carried bythe balance wheel, consisting of the pivoted weights, the adjustablesprings, and the links, all constructed and arranged to operatein themanner and for the purpose described.

3. A balance-wheel governor consisting of the pivoted weights, thesprings for supporting the weights, the links, the loose cam, and meansfor adjusting the tension Of said springs lto change the speed of theengine, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto s t my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LE W'IS HALLOCK N ASI-I.

Witnesses:

A. E. H. J OHNsON, J. WV. HAMILTON JOHNSON.

